


Rare Pair Week

by be_dazzled06



Series: In Another Life [4]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Crack Relationships, F/F, F/M, Fanon, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Multi couple, One-Shot, Rare Pairings, Series, multi ship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:33:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23979799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/be_dazzled06/pseuds/be_dazzled06
Summary: I will be dumping here all my entries for Rare Pair Week hosted by ftguidsevent on tumblr. I will update the relationships and characters every time I post. I'm kinda just winging it and not making any promises.
Relationships: Erza Scarlet & Mirajane Strauss, Erza Scarlet/Mirajane Strauss, Juvia Lockser & Erza Scarlet, Juvia Lockser/Erza Scarlet, Juvia Lockser/Lyon Vastia, Natsu Dragneel & Juvia Lockser, Natsu Dragneel/Juvia Lockser, Rogue Cheney & Minerva Orland, Rogue Cheney/Minerva Orland
Series: In Another Life [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715182
Comments: 21
Kudos: 28
Collections: Fairy Tail Rare Pairs Week 2020





	1. Day 1: Firsts (Juvia x Erza)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juvia wasn't really drowning. She's a water-mage!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by "Please, Could You Be Tender" by @liamneeson (AO3)

“Erza-san!”

Juvia shoved the taller woman off her but her strength was nothing compared to Erza. And so, Juvia had to suffer to another resuscitation, Erza’s warm lips pressing against hers, her sharp breath forcing its way into her lungs.

“Mmnnrza-san!”

Juvia only mustered the strength to permanently push the woman off her before she did that chest pushing which was still part of Erza’s attempt to revive Juvia. Well, it was her fault for pretending to drown. She was a water-mage for Mavis sake. How could a water-mage even drown?

Juvia lift herself off the sandy ground, eyes glaring at the Redhead who appeared relieved.

“Juvia wasn’t really drowning, Erza-san.” She whispered-yelled at her faux-savior.

“Then why were you flapping your arms around and screaming in the water?”

Juvia looked around the beach, hoping to see the raven-haired who the ‘pretending to drown’ act was for. She found him building a ridiculous sand castle next to the fire-dragon slayer who made sure to add more layers to his to surpass Gray’s masterpiece. Apparently, they were having some competition on who could build the tallest sand castle. Juvia threw him a wistful look and pout before she returned her focus on the Requip Mage who ruined her plans.

Juvia passed her lips against the back of her arm, at the brink of crying out of frustration on her failed plan and the fact that the kiss was…

“Because Gray-sama was supposed to save Juvia and give her the kiss.” She confessed the rest of her plans which were for all naught all thanks to Erza.

“Well…”

Juvia stood to her full height, patting away the sand on her skin and stared at her savior with that bitter taste of anger and frustration babbling inside her. She then turned a heel, trying to salvage what was left of the trip, and walked up to the direction of Gray and Natsu, mumbling under her breath, “That was Juvia’s first kiss.”

Erza heard it, simply stayed behind as a gentle smile crept up her lips.

“That was mine too.”

But it wasn’t like that kiss, which wasn’t really a kiss, would make much difference. Juvia was back to lovingly calling out Gray, pulling him by the arm and leading him away from the group to swim together or something else she was mumbling about. Gray let her too without protest. Erza couldn’t care less.

A cocky glint found its way around her brown eyes and the corners of her mouth. That kiss might not change anything but at least she beat Gray to it.


	2. Day 2: Distance (Erza x Mira)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talking to the Moon: Even if they stood right in front of each other, it would still feel like they were at the opposite sides of the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate this one to aconstellationofmemories (AO3) for being one of the nicest and sweetest person on the Mirajane planet. Hehe. Also, kindly listen to "Talking to the Moon" by Bruno Mars for this chapter. Thanks!
> 
> P.S. There is swearing. So, you are warned.

**Talking to the Moon**   
  


Mirajane pulled on the lever at the farthest back of the house. The access hatch opened and a wooden stairs fell out of its mouth. She climbed them up without caution, accustomed to stepping on the old wooden planks out of habit. It was dark up in the attic and Mira used the light through the small window and the cracks between the walls to navigate her way through the ghastly, damp-smelling, cramped room. She was headed somewhere else, at the other end of the room where she dragged a folding ladder under what seemed to be just an unsuspicious part of the ceiling. She climbed onto the fourth step and pushed the false door into the rooftop of her rundown house. Mira stepped onto the surface, balanced herself on the squeaky roof-floor and looked for her usual spot, the special spot that afforded her the unobstructed view of the heavenly lantern. She sat herself on her spot, pulling her legs against her chest and stared up at the beautiful moon. In a few minutes, Lisanna would have noticed her absence. She would worry herself and search the house for the oldest Strauss. She'd often find her in her spot at the roof and Mirajane was sure, it was going to be the first place she'd look for her. Before she ran out of time, Mira wanted to savor every bit of seconds she could be alone with her thoughts, in the darkness of the night, under the ethereal shine of the moon above her.

Mirajane often found herself doing the same thing, every night, whether the moon was high up in the darkened sky or hiding behind the cruel clouds. Every night she would seek her spot on the rooftop to think about her. Where was she? How was she doing? Was she alright? When would she be coming back home? To her. When was Erza coming back home to her? Mira asked herself these questions every time Erza was away for a mission; sometimes, for far too long. She pulled her knees tightly against her chest. The cold breeze was being a little too cruel tonight. _Unforgiving_. Tonight that she was feeling the most vulnerable.

Mira stared up at the moon once more, wondering if Erza was thinking of her too the way she was thinking about her, wherever her latest mission took her.

"Hey, Erza." She talked into the night. "Come back soon, alright?" The skin on her arms lent her warmth as she buried her trembling lips against her own flesh. "I really miss you." came her muffled confession.

Mira wasn't sure when it started or how it even happened. But she swore she could hear Erza's voice calling to her, blending with the low howl of the breeze that slapped on her skin. It was stupid, she knew. Erza was on the other side of Fiore. But Mira found comfort in knowing that maybe she was looking up into the same sky, staring at the same moon as she was, on Erza's own side of the world. That maybe, just like the take-over mage, Erza descended into madness and talked to the moon as if she was talking to Mirajane herself.

"I really miss you." This time, she buried her face between her arms and cried silently with the moon as her only witness.

The false door creaked open and spit out a shock of hair with same color as Mira's, only shorter.

"There you are, Mira-nee."

Mira shifted in her spot, hiding entirely from the youngest Strauss. She didn't want her to worry so she wiped her tears with her hands and composed herself before Mira faced Lisanna. She turned to her with a bright smile, albeit forced, and somehow convinced the youngest Strauss that she wasn't bawling her eyes just now.

"You shouldn't be out here! It's… so… cowd." Lisanna's teeth involuntarily chattering while she hid the rest of her body under the roof-floor, leaving only her head popping above it.

Mira pulled herself up and walked back up to the pushed-open hatch, looking down at her younger sister quivering in the cold. Taking pity on the youngest Strauss, Mira told her she was just behind her. Lisanna disappeared below the roof giving Mira the room to climb inside after her. Her time alone had diminished each passing day and she was growing dismayed. One day she couldn't any more escape. Mira threw one wistful look at the orb of the night that seemed to have taken pity on her.

"Tomorrow again, old friend." She said before disappearing underneath the roof after Lisanna.

Unlike Mirajane, her old friend didn't sleep. It remained steadfast in the dead of the night, lending light to the redhead guarding post as her comrades found their own places on the clearing in the forest. Erza crossed her arms against her chest, fighting the sleepiness that was inviting her for what her brain said was a short rest. She knew better. The moment she'd close her eyes, Erza would be awake in the following morning, regretting the decision of obeying her brain. She lectured on the importance of discipline and she wasn't about to let neither Natsu nor Gray have something over her to bite her back in the ass. So, Erza was just thankful she had that silver moon up above to keep her company.

Her old friend.

Erza stare up the sky, brown eyes struggling to keep themselves open. But the moon, her old friend, was rather beautiful tonight – full but somehow its light dimmed into dull silver. Beautiful, nevertheless. The silver glow reminded her of long, lush silver hair, strands of bangs clipped on top of her forehead. Her mind drifted to the barmaid behind the counter back at the guild. She must be asleep now, soundly and comfortably. Erza caught herself smiling, brown eyes still adoring the old friend watching over her and her comrades who were snoring in their deep slumber behind her. Erza, however, wasn't really looking at the moon. But in her slow descend to madness, or perhaps if she could have only been honest to herself, her gradual submission to loneliness, she was seeing in her mind the take-over mage, staring up at the same moon at her own side of the world.

"Do you ever think if me too? The way I think of you," She asked aloud, directing the question to that old, silent friend who only glowed in response, "Mira?"

The sound of her name alone made her heart skipped a beat. But along that elating feeling was a painful blow that shattered her heart into pieces – hundreds, millions of pieces – knowing that she could never have her. That reality stung the back of Erza's brown eyes and constricted her throat. Why she had to torture herself thinking about her, of both the good and the pain that her love for the take-over mage caused her, Erza would and could never understand. She never tried to fight it. She basked in that love and she faced it head on but Mirajane wasn't willing to. That she understood – tried to, forced herself to understand.

Mirajane wanted to please people, to be on their good side, to only talk well of her. Erza didn't care about those things but she cared so much for what Mira wanted – too much that she'd own up her pain alone if that would make her, at least, be at peace. Because she knew Mira wasn't happy. They both were miserable. Mira, however, clearly told her that the love that they have for each other wasn't right. That it wasn't normal. That it wasn't easy to understand for some. Erza was angry back then when the take over mage posited her reasons – _excuses_ – on why they couldn't answer to that love. But she wasn't angry now. She was just missing her, the demon her heart stubbornly longed for.

Not to be any more of an inconvenience for Mira, the Requip mage resolved to understand her and chose to love Mirajane in silence. Even if it hurts. She'd endure so long as she could still yearn for her in distance.

She let one tear to escape but that's it all she was going to allow. At least, she had to appear strong not to pass the burden to the woman she loved. Erza would hold her head high, if that's what it takes, so Mira wouldn't blame herself for being that one thing that was standing in their way.

"I love you." Erza told the moon, in the hopes that maybe it could carry her message to that person at the other side – _wishing_ that Mira might be at the other side. "I love you so much, demon."

It took a month or so for Erza and her team to come home. Mira bounced at the news, ecstatic to see the face she had been badly missing. Erza approached her first before she could even pass around the counter to meet her but only to give the head waitress the accomplishment report about the job Team Natsu did. Without so much of a smile, without so much of a glance, the Requip lumbered to the table where her group gathered. She was smiling, about what Natsu said and what Lucy complained about. She didn't want Mira to catch her staring but Erza would steal a few longing glances at the take-over mage who busied herself wiping the bar counter. There was no use, anyway. Even if they were in the same building, in the same room, even if they were standing right in front of each other, there wasn't any much difference as if they were at either ends of the world.

Because that's how it fucking felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh well, for a person who claims cannot write angst, apparently I can with a crack-ship. All hail to my two Queens! Love you.


	3. Day 3: Present (Lyon x Juvia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyon just wanted to go matchy-matchy with Juvia. Was that too much to ask?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Building on sobatsu's (tumblr) headcanon.   
> "Every town that has a guild has a shop that sells clothes and jewellery based on their local guilds members. Lyon gets every Juvia item delivered to Lamia Scale."

Lyon couldn't even remember how long he has been walking on that pavement. It seemed like it grew longer and longer with every step. But one thing he knew though was that his body hurt like hell. Like he was thrown around the room as if he was paper-light. _Stupid ogre_. It was such an easy job but he didn't understand why it took him too long to finish it and thus feeling like his own bones were about to break. Okay, maybe he knew why. If he wasn't too busy running after a replica of Juvia's hat he could have finished the job in a jiffy. The stupid giant ogre took a liking to his Juvia hat and made it his mission to chew on the poor Juvia merchandise. And he just had the head-cover delivered to him last week.

That ugly ogre!" He stomped both feet. The anger that was just babbling up inside him exploded, seeing the male version of Juvia's hat chewed on, stepped on, and having holes in them that needed patches. It was practically useless but he held onto it. Lyon was regretful the most on the fact that he was going to pass by Fairy Tail.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

He had another explosion of anger. Stomping on what used to be a male version of Juvia's hat. He ignored the weird looks passersby were giving him because apparently, he had the perfect plan. He was going to stroll into the Fairy Tail building, look for his favorite water-mage, donning his new hat matching Juvia's. She was going to realize how good they looked together, in that couple's hat, and eventually she would finally admit to the idea that he was the only man for her. _Plain and simple._ Except now he didn't have the hat he needed to go matchy-matchy with his Juvia.

Lyon only realized then that he was making such a scene when a kid hid behind his mother asking if _'that guy'_ ' – meaning him – was crazy. The mother and son turned and walked the opposite side, afraid to get near the scary crazy guy.

Lyon started apologizing to the passersby and laughed it off. But everyone was still avoiding him. They were still throwing him dirty looks. Lyon calmed himself down and asked himself, "Maybe… maybe we are acting a little crazy." He fixed his collar and his posture to show everyone that he was a fine lad and not some uncivilied fool spouting 'stupids' everywhere. He was far from it. Lyon Vastia was a fine, young gentleman – the ace of Lamia Scale – who was now marching the path down to Magnolia store to get himself a new Juvia hat. Chest out. Back straight. And shining with that new hopeful aura.

"The gods do exist!" He declared to the cashier who just told Lyon that she just sold to him the last Juvia hat they had in stock. "You are a life-saver!" He was so happy that he just grabbed the old woman by the shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. He strutted out from the shop, carrying bags of Juvia merchandise he was about to add to his collection: Juvia's heart-filled umbrella; the new 'Juvia punk' poster; her 'swimsuit Juvia' figurine, which he had to hide at the bottom of the plastic bag; and his most prized possession, the male-version of Juvia hat. Finally, the plan was back in motion.

Lyon snorted as he brushed past the the 'Gray and Juvia' figurine holding hands while doing that familiar attack that got him beat at the Grand Magic Games. He might have _'accidentally'_ bumped against the cabinet that housed the figurines, sending the merchandise on the floor. But they weren't made of breakable materials and simply bounced on the wooden ground. Lyon kind of wished they were breakable though. He also bought the butterfly-printed t-shirt without knowing it was actually 'Gray' merchandise. Lyon had his eyes set on the guild hall across the shop and became oblivious of the young girl rushing to the aide of her eighty year old Nana who just fainted behind the counter.

He went his merry way to the Fairy Tail guild building. When he arrived at the doors of the hall, Lyon scrambled inside his paper bags and pulled out the dark blue, velvet hat, pushed it down on his head, his spiky hair pointing downwards around the rim of the hat. His pale blue hair looked tamed beneath the Juvia-matching hat. Then he kicked open the doors and burst into the guild, declaring his arrival, "My Juvia, your prince has arrived!"

"L-l-lyon-sama?!"

Juvia spat out the light blue concoction that she was drinking, spraying the liquid right into the face of the youngest Strauss, flecks of lavender petals stuck on her forehead, nose and on her bottom lip. The eldest Strauss, who was just passing by, giggled at the poor state of her sister. After another round of giggles, she finally stopped and tried to pluck the petals off Lisanna's face along with Juvia, the cause of it.

"Oh, hi Lyon." Mira acknowledged. She placed the tray on the table where Juvia and Lisanna were. "Are you looking for Gray? He's out on a job." She informed while she took the spot next to her younger sister.

Lyon scoffed at the barmaid. Why would he even look for that brat? And so what if he was out on a job _–whaaat?_ The other, less impressive ice-make mage was out of the guild? And most importantly, Juvia was actually here for his taking?

He scurried over where the water-mage, momentarily forgetting about his 'cold and composed' image, and dropped the paper bags on the table. He claimed the spot right next to the escaping water-mage, making googly eyes at her.

"J-juvia," _not a good start_. Lyon cleared his throat and started again, way savvier this time and while enclosing Juvia's hand within his. " _Juvia–_ "

"– _Wow_ , you went shopping?" Mira poked around the paper bags on the table which had the logo of the merchandise store across the guild. "Did you get my items?"

Lyon glared at the woman, wondering why he would waste jewels on her items when he could buy the entire Juvia collection. But since he was a gentleman, he kept his mouth shut.

And has no one even noticed his Juvia hat? Anyone?

"Juvia, I came bearing gifts."

Lyon pulled out a long cloth out of no where and draped the same over Juvia's shoulders. Looking closer, it was identical to the white long jacket Lyon was wearing.

"Now, we look like a couple, don't we?"

Lyon threw his arms around the surprised water-mage and pulled her in a tight embrace. Pressing his cheek against hers, a fool's smile plastered on his ecstatic face.

"Lyon and Juvia." He sang with so much adoration.

Juvia seemed to have lost her sanity as she kept saying "L-lyon a-and J-j-juvia" in a trance. Hence, a nosy take-over mage took it upon herself to interject.

"Where are our gifts?"

 _To Lyon's dismay_. He glared at one of Fairy Tail's strongest mages who was pouting at him. As if Mirajane Strauss would ever shudder under those intense black eyes.

"I brought gifts for my princess." He clarified before snuggling against the still seemingly dazed Juvia, taking pleasure in the proximity. Juvia was so close Lyon could smell her scent – Aqua Kiss. He had the same one he got from the merchandise shop across the hall.

"But in fairness, you two do look like a real couple."

For the first time since Lyon entered that rowdy guild, he finally heard something pleasing – aside from the water-mage saying 'Lyon and Juvia' over and over again.

"With that matching hat and jacket. Definitely, a real couple, right Lisanna?"

Lisanna wondered why her sister roped her into that conversation. "R-right." She responded awkwardly, still worried about Juvia who seemed to have been trapped between the strong arms of Lamia Scale's Lyon's. She waved a hand in front of Juvia who didn't respond. Poor Juvia seemed to have lost it.

"Hear that, Juvia?" He pulled his arms away, grasping Juvia by her arms and turned her towards him. "We're like a real couple."

But Juvia had nearly the same expression on her face with the one she had back at the Grand Magic Games – less disgusted but repulsed no less.

Then, everything just went downhill from there.

Lyon didn't know what was happening then. All he saw was a giant figure about to fall on the table where they were sitting at. Then, parts which once composed a table was on the floor. And so were his merchandise. His merchandise!

Lyon kicked the giant muscular man off the ground and hoped against all hopes that his newly bought Juvia-merchandise wasn't crashed underneath his enormous weight. And that one thing he was worried about above else was the 'Bikini Juvia' figurine he spent most of his jewels, and honestly, his fortune. Lyon's hands quivered as he reached out for his merchandise, when Elfman stood up from the floor and went back to the chaos he came from. He slowly peeled off what used to be the paper bags that housed the items he bought from the shop.

He was wrong. There were no gods. And if there were, gods were really cruel creatures. His nightmare became a reality because nothing remained of his Juvia collectibles but remnants.

_Why did they have to make the 'Juvia Bikini' figurine out of breakable materials? Just, why?_

"L-l-lyon-sama…"

"You uncivilized imbeciles!"

His clothes flew to the air and a very naked Lyon disappeared into the rolling scuffle. He was so into deep his path of revenge that he didn't notice his Juvia hat flying around the air. Stepped on, wet, burnt, frozen until finally it was Lyon's boots, as he landed on his feet, which smashed the iced hat into pieces.

"No!" His scream was so agonizing that it even stopped the fray that he was in earlier. He fell on his knees, trying to grab the pieces of his Juvia hat on the floor. The lady from the store said, it was the last stock for this month. "H-h-how… c-c-can we be… c-c-couples now?"

In his rage, he managed to freeze everyone at the Fairy Tail guild including the guild master. _Which wasn't probably wise_. After Lyon somehow accepted his fate and finally calmed down, _but mostly because he just realized he froze the water-mage too_ , he apologized to Master Makarov and unfroze everyone, except for Elfman. He said he deserved it. The only consolation he got from this trip were: one, he got to see Juvia, two he got to spend time with her because the inferior ice-make wasn't around and lastly, he got to have Juvia walk him to the train station and send him off.

They talked on the way, mostly him and with Juvia just nodding and smiling from time to time. She was still shy around him, which he took as a good sign. When a biker almost hit Juvia, Lyon jumped into action, pulling the unaware water-mage into a protective embrace. He took note of how she was so flustered, standing so close to him, just a breath away from a kiss. She pushed him immediately and kept her distance until they reached the station.

Magnolia Train Station wasn't too crowded that day. If it was Lyon's choice, he'd want to spend more time with the water-mage. Just a passing conversation would be enough. But fate wasn't on his side. Over the speakers, the announcer said his train was leaving in ten minutes. Out of generosity, or most likely out of guilt and pity, Juvia walked with him onto the platform, glaring at the passersby who were murmuring about them being a cute couple. Juvia said goodbye first, to Lyon's dismay, and apologized on behalf of her guild.

"Don't worry about it, Juvia. At least, I got to spend time with you."

His brain was screaming at him, _'don't even think about saying it'_ but he did anyways. "I-i-it's like a date or something."

"Eh?"

Juvia didn't look comfortable with what he said. Lyon coughed into his fist and cleared his throat.

"A-a-anyways, thank you for seeing me off." He turned around to step into the railcar but Juvia's hand stopped him.

"Lyon-sama…" She was looking at her shoes or his or maybe the floor, Lyon wasn't sure. She was fidgeting, looking like fighting an internal battle. "P-p-please… please accept this!"

Without warning, Juvia pulled her own hat off her head and pushed it down Lyon's, making his white spiky hair on top disappear while others stick out of the rim.

"It's the least Juvia could do."

As much as he liked that gesture – _it was his freaking dream_ – but something didn't sit well with him.

"It's okay, Juvia." He said regretfully, taking the hat off and returning it to the water-mage. "I can just get another one." He reasoned.

"Juvia insists…"

Lyon's heart somersaulted at what appeared to be a romantic development between him and Juvia. He felt heady as he finally realized that Juvia was giving him something she owned.

_Get yourself together you stupid ice-mage. Don't fait now!_

"It was Juvia's guild mates who ruined your hat, after all."

Her concern pulled the corners of his mouth into a wide smile.

"Then, don't mind if I do keep it." He said as he fixed the hat on top of his head.

Juvia seemed relief about his acceptance.

"But how about you?"

For the first time that day, Juvia finally gave him her bright smile. He swore his soul escaped his body witnessing that bright, lovely smile. He wasn't even sure how he was still standing.

"Juvia could find another."

"Then, will you accept this?"

Lyon once again pulled the jacket out of thin air, the one he offered to Juvia which she refused insistently, and draped it over Juvia's shoulders. He saw her initial surprise and before she could return the jacket matching his, Lyon jumped into the carriage as the train started.

"See you soon, Princess!"

He waved her goodbye as he declared to the world that he will be back for her again. Juvia pulled a weird expression. Good thing he didn't see it. Lyon settled into his seat, smiling at himself. He had Juvia's hat; not only an imitation or a replica of it but the very one Juvia used. In some culture, that would have meant something big, like commitment. He knew she was just being nice. She was clear on the fact that it was a gesture of apology. He wasn't going to fool himself. Lyon was too smart for that. But it didn't mean he wasn't going to enjoy that moment, this day. It really felt like a date. His heart skipped a beat at the thought. Yes, if people asked, especially Gray, he'd tell them it was a date.

Too bad he didn't get a goodbye kiss.

"Mom, that guy's hat look like yours."

"Don't point, Marcus. That's rude."

Lyon peered over the other section where the noise was coming from.

"Why is a man like him wearing such a girly hat?"

Lyon felt a vein popped.

"My girlfriend gave it to me." He explained. It wasn't like anyone was going to do some fact-check on what he just said, right?

 _Silly kid_! What did he know? He probably didn't even have a girlfriend. 'So do you', the logical part of his brain reminded him. Well, he didn't know that! The other part barked back.

"Oi, ma! The weird guy earlier has a girlfriend?"

Looking closer, Lyon realized it was the same mother and son who accused him of being crazy earlier. He fixed his posture to appear more dignified. It was no use since the mother had already taken her son to the other section, far away from Lyon. Well, at least, no one's going to disturb him now. But before that, he needed some more jobs to work on and jewels to earn. He needed to restock on his Juvia collection which would surely cost him a fortune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my first time doing a Lyvia fanfic. Phew! I'm trying to capture the old Lyon who was super obsessed with Juvia. Hehe. Hope I made you guys proud! Also, I was totally imagining this as a drawing so my prose isn't that good. lol.


	4. Day 4: Longing (Rogue x Minerva)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An S-Class request had Minerva bringing the last person she could think of as a "Man".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW! I let myself go with this one. I didn't even notice it getting this loooooong. BUT, I'm not done with this one yet. I just fell in love with this ship recently and I'm going to stay around writing for them for one of my spin-offs. Roguerva is Be-Dazzled Approved!

“Welcome back, Minerva-sama!”

Yukino, Sabertooth’s resident Celestial Mage, ran to the door the second she saw Lady Minerva’s silhouette. Her greeting was expected, warm as always.

“Hello, Yukino.”

Minerva’s greeting, on the other hand, was... well, Minerva – calm, quiet, befitting her title as the Ojuo. She walked past the bowing celestial mage. That, too, was expected. She wasn’t a warm person – friendlier as compared to the old Minerva, but wasn’t as warm and expressive as Yukino. She did try; keep on improving her social skills. Baby steps. She’d get there eventually. For now, a responsive greeting would do.

Minerva walked up the bar where the guild master was having a drink with one of his trusted comrades. She briefed him about the S-Class mission she just wrapped up, forgetting – or intentionally disregarding – to greet her master, which Sting quickly disregarded, and informed him of the new one she just tore off from the request board on the way.

“But you just got here, Ojuo.”

“This is not the time for slacking, Sting.”

The white-dragon slayer shuddered under the lady’s stern stare. She didn’t even call him master and now Minerva was lecturing him with a tone that made Sting feel like a child.

“As Fairy Tail has been sadly disbanded, we must not fail the people that depend on us mages.”

Minerva went on and on with her lecture and ignored anything Sting would attempt to say, which may have been unintentional. It was rude to interrupt, after all.

“Hence, I must take it upon myself to finish as much job as needed.”

Sting already gave up in the middle of Lady Minerva’s speech. He was just trying to show concern but was shut down almost immediately. _That’s Lady Minerva for you._

“Yes, Ojuo. I’m sorry I asked.” He didn’t ask her actually, Sting was just showing concern. But he was sorry, not for Minerva but for himself because why does he even try?

“But this mission requests for a man and a woman, Ojuo.” The shadow-dragon slayer interjected, about to write in the request into the books. “May I ask who you are coming with?”

Minerva placed a finger under her chin, mulling over the question. “I was thinking of doing it alone. But, since it’s a job for two, Yukino would suffice.”

“I hate to interject, Ojuo…” Because Sting really did hate interrupting the lady. “But the request says a man. So…” Sting trailed off before he said something that would get his ass kicked.

“A man?” Minerva was thinking about that person from Fairy Tail who always yelled ‘man’, literally, at everything. Minerva looked around. “Where is Orga?”

“He went off to a mission.” answered Rogue, reading from the books.

“Rufus?”

“No good either. He won’t be back for another week.”

“Where shall I get a man to do the job?”

The question sparked an idea in Sting’s head. He could get one certain uptight dragon slayer off his hair and he’d keep the lady safe. It was an S-Class mission, after all. Even if Lady Minerva was strong enough to defend herself, it didn’t hurt to have another ace from Sabertooth on her side.

“Well, isn’t Rogue a man too?”

“Frosh thinks so too! Rogue is man.”

Minerva studied the shadow-dragon slayer before her. He didn’t seem to have that large, muscled body a ‘man’ should have. Although, she knew herself he wasn’t a weak one. Rogue was one of the strongest mages in Fiore. She stared him up and down, making the subject of her studying green eyes shiver a little.

“I guess he will do.”

That was a slight graze at Rogue’s pride as a man. No one else noticed – _and enjoyed immensely_ – but Sting.

“Now, go!” Sting slapped the dazed shadow-dragon slayer on the back. “You’re a man now.”

* * *

“A k-k-kid?!”

It was the shock of a lifetime, well not really, but still a big shock for both Sabertooth mages, that the one who placed the S-Class job request was a girl who was a little over seven years old.

If Rogue couldn’t believe he had to suffer through that awfully long, quiet and awkward train ride next to the very aloof but definitely intimidating spatial mage, Minerva thought it was the rip-off of the century. It was an overstatement but she stood by it. Even scolding the unknowing but very much guilty-of-negligence administrative mage who should have been on top of this kind of things. And Minerva thought Rogue was meticulous. Apparently, mixed-ups like this one still got pass him.

But it wasn’t Rogue’s fault. That would be the last time he’d let Orga, that giant stupid, do administrative work at Sabertooth’s.

“Look, child. There must have been a misunderstanding. _It’s–_ ”

“What misdansding? Don’t you think I can pay? Because…” the young girl with the slanted, unbatting eyes stared at up the full grown adults as if they were equals, emptying a fabric pouch of all its contents. “I can pay as adent-iced (advertised).” She crossed her arms in front of her chest in a defiant manner. “And there’s a lot more where that came from.”

There was no mistaking; this human child was a brat.

“This is not about the _jewels–_ ”

“Kaname!”

The female servant behind the little defiant punk crouched behind her to take out a much bigger sac, turning it upside down to empty the rest of the jewels the requester promised.

“The Lord wanted me to tell you that he shall pay how much you demanded for Lady Rania’s every request.” The soft-spoken servant informed, excusing herself and returning to her post thereafter.

“So? Are you not up for the job?”

Minerva answered on their behalf, “Child, we are mages. We are not some kind of laborers who answer to your every whim.” She stated, matter-of-factly.

The way the two females were holding their grounds, Rogue couldn’t help but see a weird similarity between them. Looking closely, the two could even pass as…

“Fro thinks so too!”

“What? I didn’t even say anything!” Rogue pulled his Exceed aside, whispering-yelling his denial. Frosch, Rogue’s unhelpful Exceed, escaped from his grasp and dived into the pool of shiny jewels.

Tired of the fruitless stand-off, it was the young lady who attacked with a scoff.

“If only Fairy Tail didn’t disbarded.”

“It’s disbanded, you simpleton.”

“Well, yeah? What do you know, old dumpling lady!”

Even with such attack Lady Minerva’s maintained her calm and cold composure. The triple Cs. _Or so thought Rogue_. Because her impassive face winced into a dark, foreboding expression.

“Who you calling old, you pint-sized devil.”

If Minerva’s pride wasn’t receiving so much damage, Rogue would have clapped back at Sabertooth’s ace and laughed.

“L-l-lady Minerva, maybe we… we should t-take our leave.”

“Why would we?” Minerva answered Rogue with a coldness that sent chills down his spine. He noticed, however, that even though Lady Minerva spoke to him, her forest green eyes were trained at the plum-colored ones. “We are here for a job, after all. Right, brat?”

Lady Minerva was answered with a confident snicker and a conquering grin from such a young miss.

* * *

“Ojuo, please help me!” Rogue received a lashing; one that he was sure would leave a mark, for slipping out of character.

“Bad horsey!” Raina bounced on top of Rogue’s back.

“Fro thinks so too!” The Exceed agreed, holding on the young lady’s clothes.

Minerva didn’t heed his pleas and continued worrying about her painted nails, wondering if they needed recoloring.

“The young lady is right, Rogue. Animals do not speak.”

Apparently, he was alone on this job because the other lady wouldn’t help him even if he broke his back playing horsey with the kid. Even his Exceed, his own Frosch, abandoned him.

“Go, horsey!” pushed Frosch.

* * *

“Ojuo, why should I be the one to wear this?”

“I am the guest, you play the servant. Should I be wearing such demeaning clothes?”

“No, you are absolutely right. _But–_ ”

“ _–No_ buts, Rogue. Please play your part accordingly.”

Minerva took a sip out of the toy cup, pretending she was drinking tea with the young lady opposite her. She waved at Rogue, presenting her toy cup to him, asking for a refill. So did Raina.

Rogue was left to wonder, if they were such demeaning clothes, then how come he was to wear the maid costume?

“Fro would like some tea too!”

“Not you too, Frosh!”

Rogue felt a slight kick in the butt causing his body to jerk forward and towards the little Exceed, who had his eyes brimming with tears.

“Serve the cat. Don’t make it cry.” Minerva ordered.

“Y-y-yes, Lady Minerva.”

“The servants of today are a far cry from their precedors (predecessors).” Raina talked in a dignified tone, little head held high, and spoke like an adult. “Do you agree, Lady Minerva?” She raised her little toy tea-cup and touched the same with Minerva’s own with a clink.

“Absolutely, Lady Raina.” And Minerva was treating her like equal.

Maybe, she should, thought Rogue, if that little devil could pronounce her big words properly.

“Rogue, pour me another, will you? And you must act more self-conscious. You are a servant, after all.”

Rogue would have retaliated. But he gritted his teeth and stuck to the role.

“Y-y-yes, Lady Minerva.”

And Rogue couldn’t do anything but to play along – lest he wanted to be punished, which Rogue recently discovered, Lady Minerva has acquired a certain liking to.

* * *

"Child, my comrade here has satisfactorily done your bidding.”

Minerva pointed to the man drop-dead on the floor, his soul seemingly escaped him. His Exceed sat beside his lying figure, telling him he did well, as some kind of consolation.

“We now demand our claim so we can _depa–_ ”

“ _–No!"_

“No?” Lady Minerva was taken aback at the utter display of defiance. The child has interrupted her far too many times today and she wasn’t going to release them yet after Rogue has suffered all through her unreasonable – yet very normal for a child her age, which Minerva didn’t know so she was sticking to unreasonable – demands. She ought to teach this girl once and for all.

“One more thing…” She said. “I want to go to the Festival.”

Her last request prompted the fallen shadow-dragon slayer to sit up, not over excitement but to react vehemently along with Ojuo.

“Festival?!”

“There is a Festival held in this town that Lady Raina always wanted to go to but couldn’t.” It was the loyal servant, wearing an identical maid outfit as Rogue, who explained to the pair of dumbfounded Sabertooth mages. “She couldn’t go because the festival is celebrated for parent and child.” Her soft voice turned to sad. “The Lord and the Lady could not make time for such trivial things.”

Minerva’s surprised eyes melted into pitiful. She knew more than anyone how it felt to long for a parent’s love. She had her father but the man couldn’t care less. He purposely deprived her that filial love because he wasn’t capable of loving a weak child. Minerva ambled towards Raina, whose once firm stare was now casted down on the ground.

“It isn’t trivial.” said Minerva. She put a hand at the back of Raina’s head, pulling the child against her slender body. The child protested, but Minerva kept her where she was, wanting to share with the young miss the warmth that Raina’s childhood was missing. “We will go if you shall desire.” She brushed Raina’s long, straight hair with her fingers until the young child calmed down and softened into her.

Rogue was pushed outside of the limelight. He and Frosch stood like outsiders as all they could do was watch from the sidelines while the scene unfold before their eyes. Rogue, too, wasn’t a stranger for the feeling of longing. He was orphaned at a young age but he had Frosch… he had Sting. He had Sabertooth. All this kid had was wealth and he knew better than anyone that material things weren’t that which mattered in this world.

Silence filled the room, save from the occasional hiccups coming from the small figure now hugging, holding onto the older miss. A few moments have passed until Raina found the courage to look up at Minerva, eyes wet with tears, and found her voice.

“Shall we go now, Mama?”

“Mama?!” Rogue slowly, and ever so cautiously, checked the ‘Mama’ in question.

Minerva didn’t react but she sure was rooted on the floor; the hand that was brushing the little miss’ hair was suspended in the air.

“If the Lady is Mama.” Frosch started, analyzing the situation. “Then Rogue is…”

Rogue is… mirroring the stunned expression Lady Minerva’s face was pulled into. They did look like a couple though – a couple of stiff woods.

* * *

There wasn’t anything special about the Festival, it was any as other, at least for Rogue. It wasn’t his first rodeo. But to the young, plum-colored eyes, it was a new world of wonder. A couple of food stands lined up at each side of the usually busy district. People were scattered all around, usually in groups of three, four or five. Laughters echoed all around the place, kids running around and about, pulling on a parent or two in all directions. Rogue learnt from the onlookers that the parade has just ended. What a waste, he thought. It would have been fun.

The little miss that took the lead was a far cry from that delinquent, spoiled brat that treated him so badly earlier, as if he was a peck of dust she could easily step on. Rogue was quite sure Raina would have grown into a fine young landlady who’d drive her entire household into slavery. But watching her now, eyes full of surprise and adoration, a timid smile was painted on his lips. The young lady was acting like a child, a 180 degree turn-around from that ‘pint-sized devil’, as Minerva called her, who bossed him around. She was pointing at everything, rushing toward every stall in the area, an equally ecstatic Exceed in tow. The Sabertooth adults fell behind, keeping an eye on the wondering child, who was looking so longingly at the red, round candy sold in one of the food stands. A girl younger than Lady Raina grabbed one before Rogue and the young miss followed the child with her eyes, watching her lick the side of the round candy.

Rogue belatedly noticed Minerva’s absence by his side. The lady had walked up to the child.

“Do you wish to taste one as well?”

Raina answered with a wide, toothy grin. Pure. Innocent. Like a child’s. A first from the young miss. The upward curve brightened by her excitement to taste the foreign sweet treat. The Raina didn’t even have to answer. Her cheerful smile said it all.

“Miss Minerva,” the lady servant in-charge of Raina interjected, scrambling for what’s inside her pouch.

Minerva put a hand over the servant’s, “It’s alright. I should pay for it since I’m this child’s… I’m her… ahmmm…” Lady Minerva wasn’t the kind of woman who gets easily flustered. Panic was perhaps not even in her dictionary. She was always composed. So, it was a first for Rogue to watch the lady under distress.

“Here you go, sir.”

As a man, however, society and his male pride dictated, Rogue should at least pay. The merchant plucked the sweet apple candy and offered it to the shadow-dragon slayer, who then crouched down to meet Raina’s gleaming plum eyes.

“Here you go, princess.”

Raina grabbed the treat and threw her little arms around Rogue, surprising the latter.

“Thank you, Papa!” She screamed, catching the attention of the people around.

“S-s-sure…”

Unaccustomed to his new role, Rogue could only stiffen under the people’s stare and murmurs.

“Fro wants one too!” begged the Exceed. That helped Rogue recover from his embarrassing state of shock.

The group continued on foot. The three adults lagged behind the young lady, who was bouncing excitedly as she licked the side of her newly discovered sweet treat. She tentatively stopped as another kid brushed by in front of her, heading to another couple that shared his hair color. The boy was about Raina’s age she guessed. Rogue noticed the young lady was looking at something. He followed the direction she was staring at. There he saw a young boy sharing his apple candy to a couple older than he and Minerva. Rogue shuddered with the realization that he just referred to him and Ojuo as a couple. He glanced at the unsuspecting spatial mage beside him, who also stopped to observe the young miss. He visibly sighed, thankful that Minerva’s powers did not include mind-reading.

“Papa?”

Rogue looked down at the owner of the pleading voice. The red round sweet swam into his vision. He peeked behind the apple candy and stared into big, round plum eyes. It took him a few blinks before he realized what Raina was attempting to do. He twitched. The young miss was imitating the boy she saw earlier, asking her ‘Papa Rogue’ to share with her sweet treat. Hesitantly, Rogue stooped down to meet Raina eye to eye. His smile was awkward and uncomfortable but somehow he had decided to commit to his role. It was fine, he told himself. Just a quick lick.

“I-it’s delicious, Raina.” He said.

The young miss jumped, happy about Rogue’s compliance. She turned to the other adult, the one she called, “Mama…”

But the other adult wasn’t as committed as Rogue.

“As if I’d violate my tongue with something that childish.”

That’s when Rogue realized that the saying was true. Kids were really manipulative little devils. Raina pulled an expression at Minerva, holding the older woman’s gaze without blinking. Rogue heard of the “puppy dog eyes” but Raina was on another level. Rogue was relieved that ‘look’ wasn’t directed to him because he might have melted instantly.

“C-c-cute…” He murmured.

Minerva, on the other hand, was stern. No one could force her to do anything. Not Ojuo – the Great Lady Minerva. The two fell into another stand-off, one where Raina was slowly winning as Rogue noticed Minerva breaking a sweat. The little miss was wearing the Ojuo down with the help of the townspeople watching and whispering behind her.

“Is she really going to ignore those eyes?” one said.

“If it was me, I’d melt already.”

“You, brat…” Minerva moved down to eye-level with the young miss, right beside the surprised shadow-dragon slayer, spewing protests under her breath. She was close, too close that he could smell the faint scent of her perfume – fresh and floral. Unexpected from the lady of Minerva’s image and stature – strong, independent, s-s-sexy…

Minerva brushed a few strands behind her ear and pushed her tongue out her stained-lips. Rogue panicked, realizing he was already gawking at Minerva’s unguarded action. His heart was racing at a speed that was new to him. He looked away, only to catch himself stealing glances at the spatial mage.

“Now, together!” Raina cheerfully ordered, giving the opposite feeling to the horrified Rogue. What the hell this kid was thinking, he thought. He was about sure the Ojuo would end this outrageousness this moment. Minerva, on the other hand, wasn’t as bothered by it as he was. She was already leaning in, although her attention was exclusively on the red treat in front of her. So Rogue manned up, so to speak, and bent toward the shared candy. It was the first time, Rogue realized, being that up close, that Minerva’s eyes were a deeper shade of green than he initially thought. He has never seen more beautiful round orbs than that of Lady Minerva’s – dark and captivating. They draw you in and never let you go… holding you captive until you get lost in their depths.

“Rogue, you’re staring. It’s rude.”

He always trusted his own eyesight but Rogue was having doubts because he has never seen Minerva’s pale cheeks turn a deep shade of pink.

“That’s my Papa and Mama!” came the chirpy compliments from the young lady clasping her hands together. “Onto the next!” Pulling the adults deeper into the festival, holding each parent on either hand. The shared red candy ended in the hands of Frosch who was left to the care of Kaname, Lady Raina’s caretaker.

“They do make a cute family.” She commented as she and Frosch caught up with the three, lips pulling into a bittersweet smile.

“Fro thinks so too!” the Exceed exclaimed, eyes shining for the two apple candies.

“I’ve never seen Miss Raina this…” Even Kaname couldn’t seem to let the word out. It was too foreign, too new that she had to test the word on her tongue. “happy.”

And it was the best word to describe the afternoon – happy.

Even Rogue had to admit he was enjoying the Festival. Ojuo, who always appeared cold and distant, had a pretty smile touching on her painted lips. Above all, Raina, the little devil was giggling all about, her childish laughters echoing throughout the streets, mixing with the cacophony of merry-making.

It wasn’t all fun and games either. There was a moment when he had to carry the small child, after she fell on the ground face-first. Raina bawled her eyes out, scraping her knee. Her cries grew louder when Minerva told her to stop the tears and not be weak. That sparked an unprecedented argument between Rogue and Minerva, with the former asking the Ojuo to be gentler with the kid and the latter claiming he was making the young miss weak by spoiling her. Rogue refused to back down and it wasn’t in Minerva’s nature to concede either; it appeared the ‘not a couple’ reached an impasse. Rogue didn’t see though, as he had his back on Ojuo, when the little devil Raina stuck her tongue out at Lady Minerva, claiming a win for her and her ‘Papa’.

That’s when Minerva realized she wasn’t so above sticking her tongue out too, to get back at the child. But Raina was so surprised at her mama’s unexpected childishness; all she could do was giggle.

Raina only allowed Rogue to put her down when they passed by a very long line of people waiting to be admitted inside what Kaname called a temple. The energized little miss, forgetting about her scraped knee, jumped out of Rogue’s arms, curious to see what the fuss was all about.

“I demand to come in!”

“Princess,” somehow along the way, Rogue stopped calling the little miss by her name. “if we wait for this long we might miss the other attractions.”

Raina puffed her cheeks, threatening to hold her breath until Rogue said yes. Minerva took that opportunity to, what the kids say these days, ‘hand him his ass’, telling him children should never be spoiled.

“If you allow me to interject…” Kaname began before the parents hit another squabble. “Lady Raina’s family is a major donor in this temple. I’m sure we can get in without having to wait for that long. If you just allow me to…” the caretaker looked around, searching for the people she could talk to about letting them in. Raina, smirked at her family’s influence, stared at her mother with smug in her plum-colored eyes. It wasn’t hard to believe the little miss was actually keeping score.

Kaname disappeared for a moment and came back with two guards following closely behind her. They led the trio into the temple and directed towards what looked like a dressing room.

“This is one of the temple’s best attractions. You get to wear a traditional garb and take photos.”

In a flash, Kaname was already holding four pairs of kimonos, presenting them to the family, “I already picked them for you.”

“She works so fast!” Rogue was surprised and slightly alarmed by it. The spatial mage, on the other hand, had a different reaction. “You are a very capable help, Kaname.”

“Thank you, Ojuo…” she replied, cheeks growing red from Lady Minerva’s compliments.

“Well, you went to all this trouble. Might as well begin.” Minerva took the traditional garment from her; the one that fits the lady of the house.

“Not so fast, Mama!”

Minerva spun around to see Raina balancing the smaller version of the traditional garment in her own little arm while the other pulled the panicking shadow dragon slayer along with her.

“Raina and Papa are coming too.”

“Men and women cannot share changing rooms, Raina.”

The young miss wasn’t listening as she and her Papa walked past the slightly concerned spatial mage.

“Actually, Ojuo…” the only person, who seemed to have all the knowledge today, corrected Minerva’s assumption. “because this place assume you are married… they only have a family changing room.”

There was a slight change in Minerva’s expression, one Kaname sensed as bothered.

“B-but… he can just wait until I get done.” She reasoned, holding her ground on society’s moral values.

“And hold up the line?” Kaname had this innocent smile on her face, which Minerva knew wasn’t so innocent after all, as her eyes followed the direction of where the helper was pointing towards – the long line of people waiting.

Sneaky little bi…

“Besides, who will help the Master and Lady Raina change into their Kimonos? That’s the duty of the wife, after all.”

The slight bother grew into a visible alarm.

“Mama!” Raina called after her, sticking her small head through the curtains. “Let’s start!”

That little devil.

The inside of the changing room wasn’t too crammed but neither was there room to move around. Minerva appeared unfazed but Rogue was sweating buckets, heart practically drumming against his chest. He glued himself at the wall opposite Minerva. And the kid? The kid was hellishly enjoying the dire situation she got the adults reeled in.

The faux family stayed quiet, save for the cheery little miss bouncing in excitement. When she finally noticed the awkwardness, a word she didn’t understand the concept of, Raina broke the silence.

“Mama should do Papa first.”

It was rather innocent but not to those who were listening outside the room.

“Oh my! Aren’t these young couples a little bold?” one blushing stranger commented.

“They’re not allowed to do that in there.” The guard who let them in warned the helper.

“It’s not like that…” Kaname denied, albeit nervously. How would she know what those two are up to? But for sure, they weren’t going to do any of that in front of Lady Raina’s young innocent eyes, right?

Well, the unknowing caretaker had another think coming…

“Ojuo! I can take my own clothes off.”

The overheard conversation scandalized few of the members of the crowd.

“Be quiet, Rogue! It is my duty, after all.”

Then the crowd outside heard some buttons unbuttoning and zippers unzipping.

Inside the changing room, however, it wasn’t as dirty as it sounded. Except for the horrified expression on Rogue’s face and the way he backed to the wall as if cornered by some ghost, everything else seemed normal. Minerva tightened the belt around Rogue’s waist, clasped her hands together for a job well done, even if the subject of her “job” seemed to have lost his soul for a moment. Rogue was sputtering, ‘I have no dignity’ and ‘How can I get married now?’ under his breath. As if getting dressed by the unflustered Minerva did some damage on his male pride. The woman didn’t even react when she saw him wearing the frog-printed boxers he had on.

“Who’s next?” There was a cocky air around the Lady, making someone conclude that maybe she was enjoying all of this.

“Me!” Raina raised a hand, matching her mother’s enthusiasm.

“Alright, my child!”

Rogue forced himself to recover from his embarrassing state of shock and helped his ‘wife’ dress their daughter. Ojuo should be his wife now that she has touched and dressed him, right? And she’s seen him practically naked too. So…

Surprisingly, putting Raina into her own little Kimono wasn’t such a struggle as compared to when Minerva was helping – _forcing_ – Rogue into his own male traditional garments. The lack of protest and insolence was probably the reason.

“Now, my turn.”

Without warning, Lady Minerva dressed down into her intimates, practically half naked; her expensive clothes flying everywhere.

“Now, where’s that traditional garb?”

If Rogue wasn’t sure then, he had no doubts now… Lady Minerva had no concept of what a man and woman were. If she did, she should at least be shy around Rogue, exposing herself to the man, in just her black string bra and panty. Or did she not see Rogue as a man? The thought pulled his face into a frown. He was a man. Rogue was definitely, one-hundred percent a man. He might not have been with any woman but that didn’t mean the shadow-dragon slayer hadn’t of being with one. As a matter of fact there was one thought running in his head right now...

“Kya!”

Red eyes searched for where the scream was coming from. At first he thought it was Raina and that something happened to her. His initial worry was replaced with something else… something more primal.

“Rogue!”

Rogue was clad in heavy clothing but he couldn’t be mistaken about that familiar floral scent, the slender arms clinging desperately around his neck and those breasts pressed against his chest.

“There’s a spider! In the corner! A spider! In the corner. Why is there a spider in the corner?!”

“Mama?”

The spatial mage spewed incoherent words… or were they incoherent because he didn’t understand? His mind wasn’t processing her words because it was trained on something else… the perky, soft, pushed-together generos breasts juggling every time Minerva moved. He didn’t even blink! And no matter how much he told himself to look away, the shadow dragon’s eyes wouldn’t listen. They had a mind of their own, which was now telling him to touch them. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, shouldn’t! But his hands were itching to just…

“I killed the spider, Mama!”

Minerva let go of Rogue and huffed an air of relief.

“Thank you, Raina.” She walked over the little miss and gently patted the brave girl on top of her head. She was still oblivious of what her sudden actions did to the shadow-dragon slayer who was still glued against the wall. Rogue was grateful that Minerva was focused on Raina and the dead spider convulsing on the floor. But most of all he was thankful at the spider… a little sorry for his unfortunate fate at the hands – _or feet_ – of little Raina but still grateful.

“Is Papa not going to help Mama?”

He couldn’t even move a muscle, how can he be of actual help?

“Are you okay, Rogue?”

Rogue’s widened eyes drifted down at the worried round orbs looking up at him. He hated making Frosch worry but that skinship rendered him inutile.

“I can manage, Raina.” assured Minerva, sticking her hands out of the wide, loose sleeves, as she and her daughter shared a ‘what is this man doing hogging the wall’ expression. After Minerva slipped into the traditional garb, finally placing the flower hair ornament to complete the look, she was ready to present herself to the world. Except that Raina thought there was still something missing – not her Papa still attached to the wall – nope. He was being weird, she concluded. She checked the ornament sitting atop her head only to realize what was missing.

“Mama! I want the dumpling hair too!” She exclaimed, pointing at the pair of buns on Minerva’s head. The spatial mage winced at the slight but innocent insult. Why do kids keep calling them dumpling was beyond her.

“Raina…”

“Raina demands that Mama do her hair too!”

Minerva’s initial outrage quickly dissipated and the menace on her lips was replaced with a gentle smile. “Alright, come here.” She invited and started on Raina’s long silky hair, which she absently noted, looked and felt just like hers. After Minerva was done with Raina’s hair, they both looked into the mirror. Rogue, who was finally over his shock and what that ‘episode with Minerva’s breasts’ did to his inexperienced body, stood behind the two splitting image of each other. Except for the color of their eyes, Raina looked like a smaller version of Minerva, with the same ‘Dango’ hairstyle Minerva was known for and identical Kimono’s, they could definitely pass as mother and daughter. A warm feeling swelled up in Rogue’s chest and he couldn’t help but wonder this must be how a man felt looking at his family.

Who even needed photos when the view of them inside that mirror was already picture-perfect?

“Look, Mama! Papa is finally back.”

He didn’t go anywhere but his soul did travel.

“Is he now?” Minerva gave him a smile through the mirror. A year ago, he wasn’t even sure if Minerva was capable of such gentle act. Her smiles used to be so evil, so menacing. But after that event in Tartaros, when she returned back to her family – Sabertooth – she was able to finally muster such a soft, innocent smile. “I guess it is time then.” She turned around to face Rogue, coming chest to chest with him with the small space forcing them to be so close. “It isn’t right to keep this room.” She told him, her voice lower than usual.

“Hm.” Rogue agreed thereafter matching her gentle smile with his own. “You’re right, Ojuo.” was all he said before picking up the curious Raina and then surprising Minerva with his sudden comfortableness. He held Minerva’s hand in his, carrying Raina in his other arm and led his family out into the open.

“Such a beautiful family.” The words traveled to every mouth present inside the temple. Kaname, who has never seen her Lady Raina in such high spirits, felt tears burning her eyes. “Great job, Raina-sama.” She whispered, letting the tears of happiness fall.


	5. Day 5: Opposites (Natsu x Juvia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A job is requesting a water-mage and a fire dragon slayer? Odd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So, here we are at day 5. Not sure if I have anything for the next day. But I hope you guys like this! Oh my Navia heart. Also, thanks to freeezingrain from tumblr for helping me out with how Sol would pronounce his English.

“Oh, there you are!”

Natsu fondly gnawed on the burnt fish in his hand. He savored every bit of flesh and bones as bouts of laughter escaped his open mouth. He failed to notice the head-waitress’ arrival at their table as he continued to munch down the poor fish.

“What do you mean, Mira-chan? We haven’t even left this table since Erza brought in that bucket of fish.” Lucy masked her irritation with pretentious innocence, sarcasm implied.

“Well, my last job added this to my reward. Didn’t know what to do with them.” Erza had the need to explain when no one asked her.

“If it shuts the flamebrain down, I don’t have any complaints.”

Flame-brain retaliated but his insult came out incomprehensible with another over-cooked fish filling his mouth.

“Aye, aye, sir!” Happy chirped, pulling his head out of the bucket with raw fish writhing between his teeth.

“Oh, well. I just wanted to give you this.” Mira balanced the empty bottles on her tray in one hand as she presented a mission request to the trio, which was only intended for the fire dragon slayer.

“A mission?” Brown eyes shining in anticipation as Lucy imagined the tons of jewel she was about to get her hands on. “Does it pay handsomely?” She asked, voice bereft of that foreboding gloom it had earlier.

“Well, yes.” Mira held on her bright, albeit forced, smile as if she wasn’t about to drop a bomb on that table. “But it specifically requests Natsu and Juvia.”

“Natsu and Juvia?!”

Expectedly, Lucy and Gray shared a shocked expression on their horrified face.

“That’s odd.” Commented Titania, massaging her chin as she pondered over the peculiar partnership. “What kind of job is it?”

Mira opened her mouth, about to answer when the missing half of the “Oddest Couple of the Century” materialized at the double door.

“Oh, here she comes now.” Mira exclaimed, “Juvia, we’re here!” she waved the water-mage over the table. As if she really had to. The moment Juvia felt Gray’s presence through her _‘Gray-dar’_ , she rushed to the guild hall, about to claim the spot beside him when the fire-dragon slayer hooked his arm with hers and dragged her out of the hall.

“C’mon, Juvia. We gotta job to do!”

“Aye, aye, sir!”

“But… but…” Blue wistful eyes remained glued at the ice-make mage who was watching the retreating coup-no! _the_ retreating duo until they disappeared behind the squeaky doors.

Even Mira, the self-proclaimed Queen of Match-Making found the Natsu-Juvia pairing a bit strange and… she couldn’t find the right words. She snapped out of it quickly, trying an idea on the remaining mismatched couple.

“Lucy, maybe you’d like to try going on a job with Gray?” She suggested.

“I guess we could…”

“I’m going home.”

“What?!” Lucy jumped out of his seat, attempting to stop the ice-make mage who was already at the door. “Gray! I need the… money.” She finished her sentence in a small voice, finding it useless to talk Gray out of well, walking out, and returned to her seat dejectedly.

“If you really need it,” The Requip mage, who was now finished downing her fifth strawberry shortcake, scooted over to Lucy to offer the sulking celestial mage some help, “I can go with you on a mission.”

Slowly, Lucy scurried away. “On a second thought, I probably don’t need the pay, after all- _eep!_ ”

As usual, Titania wasn’t listening. She was half-way marching down the door with a nervous Lucy in tow.

Because the last time she went on a job with Erza, Lucy was baited to the pervy old men of some lost town, dressed in just string bikini and a nervous smile.

* * *

“How far is that place, Natsu-san?

“Dunno.” Answered the fire-dragon slayer. Hurting his brain looking at the map, which he turned upside down over and over again.

Juvia sighed in exasperation. They’ve been on foot for half a day now and it seemed the fire-dragon slayer hasn’t figured out the map. He refused to take the train and promised to get them to their destination even if reading that ordinary map they bought from town killed him.

“Well, this map is pretty useless.” He declared, burning the paper in his frustration.

“No! Juvia could have taken a look at it.” But her words fell on deaf ears. Juvia didn’t even know how Lucy managed to survive the partnership between her and the fire dragon slayer who refused all help. She wants to get to their destination a.s.a.p. and get things done. She already missed Gray, after all.

“I wonder what Gray-sama is doing now.” Juvia mused. Suddenly, Juvia had a certain feeling of eyes following her. She stopped dead in her track to confirm her suspicion. To meet those eyes that followed her. But the street was populated with people who were going in different directions. Juvia didn’t see anyone or anything particularly looking at her. Maybe, she was wrong. But her apprehensions forced her watchful eyes to study the corner of a building where rustling sounds could be heard of. Then, there was half a shadow. She couldn’t make any figure out of it. But it was moving.

“Oi, Juvia. What’s wrong?”

Juvia didn’t answer just yet. She waited for something – _anything_ – to come out the corner of the wall. Her hands were prepared for whatever that was.

Then, she heard a soft purr. A black alley cat stepped out into the light, licking the fur on one foot. It stopped, sensing Juvia’s eyes on her. The cat held the blue eyes’ gaze, its deep, black cat’s eye staring down at the water-mage, sending a shrill down Juvia’s spine.

“N-n-nothing…”

Juvia turned around and rushed towards the puzzled dragon slayer’s side before the cat actually scared the hell out of Juvia. As they continued on foot, Natsu suggested they stay somewhere for the night. Happy seconded, tired of flying over their heads.

“Juvia supposes it is rather late…” Juvia’s eyes were downcast, still uncomfortable with being alone with Natsu.

“Look, there’s a motel!”

“Motel?!”

Happy regained his energy and gleefully flew around Natsu’s head. The old lights on the name flickering on and off started to scare Juvia. But nothing compared to the horror of what Natsu was implying.

“D-d-does Natsu-s-san even know what a m-m-motel is?”

“Huh? Isn’t it just a place to stay?”

Natsu disappeared into the questionable building, leaving Juvia no other choice but to follow after him. Inside, an old lady behind a covered counter greeted them. A merchant’s smile plastered on her wrinkly face because she knew, if the young couple who just entered her motel had other choice, Natsu and Juvia and that weird flying cat behind them would have never even casted a glance at that shabby-looking building. If the exterior made you wanna reconsider, the inside of the near-retirement motel sent you running out for your dear life.

“We’ll take it!”

“Natsu-san!”

Juvia puffed air in her mouth, refusing to breath that smelly air in that sinister, dimly-lit hallway of the motel. Just until they reached their shared room because the lady caretaker said it was the only one left. Juvia refused to believe it but Natsu was insistent, dragging the protesting water-mage to the second floor. Natsu celebrated the moment he found their door; not even sparing another thought about actually sleeping in it. Juvia wondered if the foul smell didn’t bother him as much as it did Juvia. Wasn’t he a dragon slayer who was highly sensitive to smell- _eep_!

Juvia squealed when she was suddenly pulled into the dark room.

When Natsu turned the lights on, Juvia was a little surprised. The room was tidied, even smelled lavender. But she wondered why there was so many mirrors installed on the walls, even the roof.

“Finally! Time for rest.”

Natsu threw himself into the made-up bed, squealing in excitement as the soft mattress nearly swallowed him. The bed was big enough to cater for two tired bodies. Juvia, however, had reservations.

“Juvia could just stay on the couch, Natsu-san.” She said, already starting for the worn-out, she dared call couch, next to the bed.

Natsu sat right back up, brows furrowed in confusion.

“You can sleep on the bed. It’s big enough for the three of us.”

No! Juvia couldn’t, she thought. What would Gray-sama say…

“Juvia prefers the couch, Natsu-san.” She faked a smile, which was coming out weird and awkward as pointed out by Happy.

He could have said something but the Exceed was too tired to even sing his famous, “she liiiiiikes you.”

“Suit yourself.” Natsu collapsed back to the bed, head cushioned on his hands. Happy flew to his side, resting his head on Natsu’s arm.

The short silence was then quickly replaced by Natsu and Happy’s loud snoring. It amused Juvia how they easily fell asleep. But she remembered something. In her desire not to make any noise that may wake up the sleeping figures on the bed, Juvia tiptoed, silently making her way to get herself some pillow and cover to use. Natsu wasn’t using them anyways. She gathered the sleeping essentials in her arms and slowly turned around to go back to her rightful place – on the couch. Then, she heard a scream coming from outside. Juvia hovered over the bed to look out the window. She didn’t know what happened. It just happened so fast. Suddenly, she was pinned down on the bed, beneath Natsu who covered her body with his.

“What was that?”

Natsu whispered, looking around the room before his apprehensive eyes landed on Juvia’s. They stared at each other for a moment, waiting... Happy wedged himself between the two. Looking up at him, at his onyx eyes, Juvia felt… nothing but utter annoyance that it wasn’t Gray who was on top of her. Juvia pushed his face away from hers, kicking and punching her way out of his hold.

“Hey, what was that for?” Natsu was offended, rubbing the places Juvia hit him.

“Juvia can handle herself, Natsu-san.”

“I just thought something happened to you.” He explained, rising on his knees on the mattress to look over the window. “I was sure I heard a woman’s scream.” There was nothing out there but an endless star-studded sky and a lonely coconut tree which leaves swayed with the wind.

“Natsu…” Happy buried himself against him, poor thing shaking.

“Juvia heard it too. But like she said, Juvia can handle herself.” She gathered her sleeping essentials and marched over to the couch.

“It was on instinct, you know.” He defended himself but Juvia was already settled on the couch, covering her head with the sheet. “That ice-bastard will kill me if something happened to you.” He muttered to himself, trying to calm Happy down but eyes still trained at the sheet-covered form on the couch.

“C’mon, Happy. We still got work tomorrow!”

“Aye, sir.” The Exceed answered, slightly shaking now.

* * *

The sunlight coming from the window hit Natsu’s eyes, forcing him to wake from his deep and loud slumber. He opened one eye first, crossing an arm over his face to shield from the direct rays. Quickly, Natsu adjusted to his surroundings, remembering why he was inside that shabby room with Happy still sleeping soundly right beside him. He sat right up and looked for Juvia who he remembered opted for the couch. She met his ‘just-adjusting’ glance and expressing a look of surprise, greeting him with no warmth nor hostility, just a mechanical, “Oh, good morning, Natsu-san.” Juvia was fixing her hat atop her head and looked ready to start her day – or maybe, just wanted to get this mission done and get rid of him asap.

“Good morning, Juvia!” He flashed her a toothy smile, brighter than the sunlight hitting his cherry hair. Now, that Natsu had a good night sleep and much wanted rest from all that walking yesterday and using up all his brain cells reading that stupid map, he was so ready to put this mission to bed, “I’m all fired up!”

The duo paid their bill, with Juvia denying vehemently the old woman’s accusation of her and Natsu enjoying the night as a couple.

“Juvia has promised herself to another man!”

“Oh…” The woman behind the counter expressed her surprise but she’s seen worse so she knew better not to judge. That didn’t stop her from sharing some wisdom. She gave Juvia a sound advice, “you shouldn’t dilly-dally with another man then. Save your self for that man you promised.”

“You gave yourself to another man?” Natsu took offense on behalf of his open-secret best-friend. “Man, Gray’s gonna flip!”

“Aye, sir!”

“Juvia promised himself to Gray-sama, Natsu-san.”

But Natsu-san wasn’t listening, continuing to the door, muttering much to Juvia’s chagrin.

“But can’t blame ya. Gotta be his fault leaving you alone like that.”

Juvia didn’t have the energy to refute that though she totally disagreed. It was useless but she just felt the need to say, “Juvia only has Gray-sama in her heart.”

Outside the almost retiring motel, both Natsu and Juvia shared a quizzical look as the once lonely streets became so hectic in the morning. There were so many people flocking behind a taped line. Video and sound recording lacrimas flying around the area. Both Natsu and Juvia didn’t understand what was or about to happen. But Natsu couldn’t care less. He was ready to ignore the whole commotion when a huffing and puffing young man approached the two.

“Natsu-san, Juvia-san, welcome!” The young man quickly pulled the two mages, leaving Happy to just fly behind them, to introduce them to a higher official.

“We were worried you didn’t receive our request. Director-san would have buried us alive!”

“Director-san?” Natsu wondered while he allowed himself and Juvia be dragged towards a tight circle gathered under the devised canopy. As they get closer, however, Juvia recognized the voice of the high authority, spewing orders here and there, before she even saw him.

“Director-san, the Fairytail mages we requested are here.”

The group quickly dispersed, revealing a slim man in formal, respectable clothes. Two of his distinguished features, one which both Natsu and Juvia easily recognized were the monocle on his right eyes and his thick French accent.

“Salut!” The man with the highest power climbed down the director’s chair to greet the guests.

“Sol?!” The Fairytail mages, minus Juvia, fell on a defensive stance in case the former Phantom Lord Mage went offensive. Natsu and Happy haven’t forgotten about what happened.

“Non, non, non.” He quickly dispersed their apprehension. “Monsieur Sol does not seek a fight.”

“Like I’d believe that!” Natsu wasn’t buying it, however, putting himself in-front of the water-mage a defensive wall.

“I have a new life after Phantom Lord, just like Mademoiselle Juvia, oui?”

Natsu was ready to attack when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He glanced at the water-mage over his shoulder but his walls weren’t down.

“Perhaps, Sol-san is right. Just like Juvia, he has found his way. He isn’t an enemy of Fairytail anymore.”

Juvia blue eyes beseeched him. If Juvia trusted this weirdo swaying around like some kind of a flailing tube man, then maybe Natsu should give it a try. He was, after all, a man of forgiveness and second chances. Slowly, Natsu let his guard down, “I guess so.”

“Magnifique!” Sol exclaimed, linking his arms with the Fairytail mages, and leading them under the canopy. The people under the shade scattered, leaving only the young man who greeted Natsu and Juvia earlier to accommodate the guests, offering them refreshments.

“You see…” the former Phantom Lord Element 4 started, gesturing to Natsu, Juvia and Happy to take the seats offered them. “I have finally found my troue (true) passion – ze (the) arts!” He declared, throwing his slender, swaying arms above him, as if presenting the busy site to the still puzzled mages. “Now, down to biz-ness.” His face turned serious as he motioned the young man, who turned out to be assistant director-san, to explain to Natsu and Juvia about the job request.

“Basically, we are going to burn that building down.” The young man pointed to the dying motel the ‘odd partners’ stayed in. “Using Natsu-san’s fire magic. And Juvia-san… Juvia-san is here to control the situation,” he flashed them an awkward smiled, bordering guilty, as he slowly dared continue the sentence, “in case, it gets out of hand.”

Basically, they didn’t trust Natsu to work on this alone and they needed Juvia as a what? Extinguisher? However, the ‘insult’ was way over Natsu’s head.

“I’m all fired up!” declared the fire-dragon slayer, jumping out of his seat and pumping his fist into thin air.

Sol, the movie director joined him, leaving Juvia the only one feeling, “Juvia feels this won’t end well.”

Juvia wasn’t a fortune-teller, but that’s exactly how the afternoon of shooting a movie went – not well. Bad. Worst. Hell. Natsu was just showing off, burning everything in his wake. Juvia was left cleaning up after him, using her water magic to just wash off the fire that burned the entire street. Juvia apologized to Sol but the latter waved it away, telling her it was expected since they requested the fire-dragon slayer for the job. But Juvia couldn’t help but feel sorry for the guy while the old woman who owned the run-down motel kept adding expenses to his tab. That also meant there was going to be a big cut out of their pay.

“Now, Juvia knows how Lucy feels.” She muttered.

At one point, Juvia had to shower the female actress with cold water because Natsu just _‘accidentally’_ burned her, which forced Juvia to hesitantly take her place instead. The water-mage didn’t warm up to the idea at first. What woman in her right mind would willingly go into a burning building to wait for someone to save her? Certainly, not one of the member of the strongest guild in Fiore. However, it was her former guildmate who begged her to do something. Despite of what happened in the past, Sol was a nice friend to her. She didn’t have the heart to say no. Until, she was told there was a kissing scene.

“Juvia certainly will not do it!”

“Will you reconsider if we put Natsu-san in the leading man’s place instead?”

“Oui! Idea magnifique!” Came the exclamation from behind the young assistant director. Sol clasped his hands around Juvia’s, eyes pleading with hers. “If not, we will keep lo-sing money.”

“Juvia and Natsu-san don’t even look like your main couple! And that’s not part of the request.” She tried everything to get out of that deal.

“Death.” Sol covered his eyes with his arm, in such a dramatic fashion befitting such a dramatic person. “Death is coming for moi.”

“Sol-san!” Juvia caught him and helped him into his seat.

Juvia looked around the expectant looks from the crew members. Not only was Sol going to lose money because of delayed production, as he persuaded the water-mage, although Juvia had a feeling he was using the guilt card on her, he would have to start firing people. That part of the information the assistant director made sure was heard all over until the neighboring town. Now, she had the entire “Man of Fire” cast and crew relying on her to be their savior. The person who said he was going to take care of everything just walked up to her to ask, “How hard could it be?”

Natsu wasn’t considering it, was he?

“It’s just going in and out of a burning building.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Easy.”

But it wasn’t easy. Especially, when Natsu started questioning Sol about why he should do this or that, telling Sol how to do his job. He wasn’t making it easy for anyone, especially not to the water-mage who got a number of her dresses reduced to ashes.

“Non. Non. Non!” The director was now stomping his feet, thrashing his head around out of frustration. “Monsieur Natsu need to carry Mademoiselle Juvia like a bride.” He informed. “Zen (then), lay her on ze (the) ground and you claim her sweet lips.” Sol pursed his lips for emphasis. Then, he dropped the loving expression, “Not laugh like a villainous maniaque (maniac).”

Apparently, Natsu was not able to wrap his head around the idea that he was actually the main lead and not the evil dragon king he thought himself to be.

“You could have just said so.” He grunted and returned back into the burning building to, figured Juvia, get the scene right this time.

But Sol, feeling the frustration boiling up his blood, returned to stomping on the ground and trashing his head around saying, “zat’s (that’s). wat (what). I’ve. Been. Saying.” Juvia had to apologize on Natsu’s behalf, once again, before returning into the building to play the damsel in distress.

This time, however, the fire dragon slayer made good on his promise. The director and the crew watched on the monitor lacrima as the scene played out on their screen. Sol, the director and whose head was going to be chopped if the movie didn’t go so well, nervously gawked at the large monitor, chewing on his fingernails, as he hoped not but still expected something to go wrong. Thank the heavens, everything went perfectly. From the time Natsu rushed into the burning building to coming out of it with Juvia in both arms. The moving-photo lacrima taker loved everything about the dragon slayer: his serious look, furrowed brows, and sexy bravado. His torn clothes exposing hard muscles was just the icing on the cake. Now, it was the most crucial scene that got Sol all nervous and fidgety; the highlight, the moment that will end it all, the scene of all scenes – the kiss.

Natsu gently placed Juvia on the ground as per Sol’s direction, safe from the fire he created for the movie scene. He had his hand behind Juvia’s head, keeping her close to him. His focused eyes sought hers. Juvia’s heart was beating loudly. With Natsu’s enhanced hearing ability, she was sure he could hear every beat of it. Then slowly, ever so cautiously, without any word spoken between them, Natsu leaned in. Closer and closer until he was just a breath away.

Then, he wasn’t breathing at all. Because Natsu Dragneel was just frozen solid.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Gray-sama?”

“Non. Non. Non. Non!” Sol pulled his drilling stare off the monitor, off his literally frozen male lead. He slid off his seat and thrashed his head until he broke his neck, he hoped. So that he didn’t have to deal with all the angry people who will be out to get him if he didn’t finish this movie. “Pourquoi (Why)?” He fell on his knees, grasping on the ground. Then, Sol lifted his arms to heaven, questioning all the gods that must have hated him. “Pourquoi moi (Why me)?!”

Natsu, finally learning how to thaw Gray’s ice and unfreeze himself with his fire magic, became warm skin again. “What the hell, Gray?” He lurched for the newly arrived visitor who easily side-stepped him.

“Why are you about to…” Gray, the uninvited visitor, had a strained expression on his face, “with that flame-brain?!”

Gray Fullbuster, who looked like he was ready to swallow the water-mage whole, effortlessly dodged all of Natsu’s attacks, whilst drilling a hole at Juvia’s head with the way he was glaring at her.

“It’s a job request, you ice-prick!”

“Natsu-san is right, Gray-sama!” Juvia jumped to her feet to defend her honor. “It was just a near-touch kiss.”

But her explanation fell on deaf ears because ‘Ice Prick’ and ‘Flame Brain’ were already destroying half the town.

“I’m really sorry, Sol-san.”

* * *

Juvia walked back to Magnolia with the world on her shoulders. Not only did she not get the pay for the simple job request; she and Natsu were slapped with so much damage and penalty claims that she would need to bust her butt off working all missions available back at the guild and still need to get herself some side gigs. Serve as a human fountain? Human sprinkler? Giant faucet?

“Maybe, Juvia can pose as a model for Sorcerer Weekly?” She mulled it over. Although she wasn’t comfortable with the exposure, she needed the jewels.

“I’ll help you with the claims so don’t worry about it.” Said Gray who was walking beside her the whole time.

“Yeah. Me too.” Natsu caught up with Juvia and Gray, with the latter going to such lengths as putting himself between them as they travelled or urging Juvia to walk faster to lose Natsu. Just because he wanted to separate the water-mage from flame-brain. But as expected of Natsu, he wasn’t getting the hint that Gray actually did not want him there.

“You’re half the reason for it!”

“Yeah? Well, news for you droopy eyes. You’re the other half reason!”

“You wanna go at it, slanty?” There was no point asking because Gray and Natsu were already at each other’s throats, ready to land the punch they were both holding up.

“Juvia would really prefer to walk in peace, Gray-sama.” She sighed. Juvia now had a new whole respect for the celestial mage who had to deal with all this.

It was the ice-make mage who first pulled away from the ensuing fight, muttering a small sorry for his behavior. His actions made Natsu wonder because: one, Gray never backed out of a fight; second, especially when he looked so eager – athirst – to land that cold fist on Natsu; and finally, how did even Gray knew where he and Juvia were?

“Oi, ice bastard. Why are you even here?”

“What?” Gray heard the question the first time. Not knowing how to respond to the question – _an inquiry that got him all stiff and sweaty_ – the ice-make mage pretended not to hear. If he was lucky, Natsu would drop the subject.

But the question wasn’t _dropped_ as he hoped. It got the attention of the water-mage, who Gray wished was so preoccupied with having to pay the town and that French speaking former guildmate of hers a great deal of jewels that she couldn’t put two and two together.

“Was Gray-sama on a job and was about to go back to Magnolia when he found Natsu-san taking advantage of Juvia?” Her eyes were sparkling with expectation that she was right with her assumption.

“Y-yeah. T-t-that.” Even to Gray, he didn’t sound so convincing. But Juvia seemed satisfied with his answer. So, he could puff a breath of relief. Except that Natsu and Happy was still staring at him skeptically.

“W-w-whatchu lookin’ at?”

“You were following us, weren’t you?”

Gray’s usually droopy eyes widened at Natsu’s conclusion.

“You were the woman we heard screami _–mnmnmn_.”

Gray nervously glanced at Juvia over his shoulder as he kept his hand covering flamebrain’s loud mouth, nearly suffocating the dragon slayer. Juvia, however, seemed oblivious of everything that was happening around her. Good, Gray sighed. She was probably off to her imagination land.

“Shuttup or I’ll make you eat ice cubes all day.”

Natsu stopped fighting and reluctantly, Gray let him go. He threatened the wrong bastard though. Because Happy just ecstatically hovered over the three of them to announce, “Gray screams like a giiiiirl!”


	6. Day 6: Fantasy (Rogue x Minerva)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of Day 4: Longing. Fantasies do come true...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be quite confusing but I'm here to answer all questions!

**05:30 P.M.**

Rogue could feel the rise of the embarrassment up his head. Everyone was looking at them, all those eyes trained at the little family coming into the front of the temple for a photo memorabilia. He wasn't used to that kind of attention. He was a shadow, a cast hiding behind the darkness. No one ever paid attention to the shadow.

"Papa?"

Rogue's down-casted eyes shifted to the little voice that called up to him – Raina, in her traditional kimono, a spitting image of the woman holding her hand; the other slender hand she offered to him. Rogue took it without hesitation, sheathing her small hands within his much larger ones. The thin line on her worried face broke into a wider grin. It was so contagious that Rogue caught himself also smiling.

"Next family please!"

Familiar with the surroundings, it was Kaname who led the faux family to their spots, arranging them under a decorated arc filled with colorful flowers and lanterns.

"Please stand in the middle." The person behind the image-taker gestured towards the center, adjusting the figures to fit them into his monitor. "Just a little closer." His gestures wanted the three to squeeze closer. The distance was translating into his lens and he didn't mean it in the literal sense. The honey-haired young man scratched the back of his head, unsure how to say there was a lack of warmth he expected from a family. "A little bit closer." Now, he was feeling uncomfortable as the 'mom' and 'dad' shot his way a menacing glare.

It was very tempting to just strike down the man with his dragon force. Has he any idea what he was asking of Rogue? Forcing the man to invade Ojuo's personal space? No one even dared, not even the Guild Master, coming close to the woman. Then, suddenly, his internal one-sided battle was disrupted. He withdrew the menacing glare from the poor guy and glanced at Minerva who was now standing close next to him; so close that their shoulders brushed.

"Let's not waste any more time." She wasn't looking at him but Rogue was sure she was talking to the dragon slayer.

"Y-yes, Ojuo."

But brushing shoulders wasn't enough.

"They are so shy." The middle aged ladies giggled behind Kaname, prompting the caretaker to suggest that Rogue put his arm around his 'wife'. The man was hesitant but Minerva was surprisingly reassuring that she wasn't going to cut his arm off. So, freely, albeit nervously, Rogue put his arm around Minerva's waist.

Then, flash. The white light nearly blinded the dragon slayer.

"Alright! Another one." Because the kid was the only one smiling in the monitor. "I-if the couple w-wouldn't mind." He had to rethink that suggestion as an identical dark, murderous aura enveloped the "couple".

"Yey! Another!" All thanks to the little ball of sunshine bouncing in excitement, the dark aura and the matching dagger looks quickly dissipated. "Mama and Papa should kiss now?"

"K-kiss?!" Rogue and Minerva had a shared expression on their faces: utter shock on the former; a slight mortification on the latter, to which Rogue took an offense. He wouldn't dare do it but would it really hurt if Sabertooth's ace didn't act like kissing him was the grossest thing she was ever to do? Sure, it wasn't the best idea but…

"Great idea, Miss Raina!" Kaname clapped her hands together, egging the young miss about her bright – _crazy_ – idea.

"WHAT?!"

"Fro thinks so too!"

"Don't encourage her, Frosch." Rogue whisper-yelled at his Exceed.

"Don't parents usually kiss?" The so called 'parents' looked down at the small dictator staring up at them, eyes rounded in that awfully cute pleading look. But both parents knew better. Her evil expression was telling, 'I got you both falling in my trap.'

So evil!

Rogue wasn't going to bite. He wasn't born yesterday. Minerva, on the other hand… she wasn't the kind of woman who would easily give in to pressure.

"They're just probably shy around people." One middle-aged woman suggested, making some excuse on their behalf.

"But they were so bold earlier in the changing room."

Rogue was forced to recall that shameful, yet oddly titillating, experience in the family dressing room.

"But kissing is natural between married couples."

The shadow dragon slayer wasn't actually listening to the murmurs running around that middle-aged circle. He was too busy pushing the memory down the back of his mind to actually care. It had a weird way of raising the temperature and thinning the air around him. And he did not need any of those weird things messing up with his brain – _and his innocent body_.s

"We must… commit to our roles."

Rogue hadn't had the time – or the mental presence – to even decipher that code when suddenly Minerva had her slender fingers gripped at the collar of his own kimono, pulling him by it and crashing her lips against his.

It wasn't as he expected. Not like he'd ever expected having to kiss Minerva. That thought never crossed his mind. But here he was now, his lips pressing against the woman's – warm, soft, tender lips. He'd never given it any thought but kissing surprisingly felt really nice. He didn't know what it was – a really good feeling, a sensation that made his head all fuzzy but also so focused on the woman right in front of him – that pushed him to dare, to step out of his comfort zone and shamelessly moved his lips over hers.

"T-t-that's enough, Rogue."

Minerva shoved him away, pulling him back to his senses. It got Rogue apologizing for what he tried to do; a little guilty and ashamed of himself for overstepping. But a part of him, that smallest part that was a bit more freeing, convinced Rogue he shouldn't be sorry. But that part he'd always push at the back burner.

Rogue honestly didn't know what came over him but that unexplainable feeling had him seeing things too, like the light blush that powdered Minerva's cheeks rosy.

**06:00 PM**

No one spoke between them. They just continued weaving the Festival, led by the ever enthusiastic little dictator as she bounced amongst the crowd, holding a photo in her hands.

"Lady Raina sure looks energetic."

"Yes." Both Rogue and Minerva answered in unison, glancing at each other when they realized the sudden synchrony. Strange. Then, both swiftly looked away trying not to get caught. Minerva, however, was quicker to recover as compared to Rogue, who was still fighting the strange feeling warming his cheeks.

As they continue on foot, something caught the little lady's attention, pulling her to a sudden halt. Her caretaker walked up beside, both palms planted on her knees as she read the announcement for her mistress' sake.

"Look, Miss Raina, they're having fireworks later tonight."

Rogue wasn't even that older than the young caretaker but she was acting more like the young miss as they both had a shared sparkle in their eyes, not the identical amused stares off the sign.

"Raina wants to see the fireworks!"

"Kaname too!"

"Fro three!"

Minerva, the voice of reason, quickly interrupted. "It's a little late, Lady Raina. We need to return to your home as Rogue and I need to travel back by train."

"Actually," Kaname answered, her heart eyes glued to every word on the announcement, "the last train has left around four p.m."

"What?!" Minerva's dark green eyes uncharacteristically widened in shock and the coming trouble. "Why didn't you inform us earlier?" It quite bothered her more than it should and it was showing. An expression no one would ever put next to the name Minerva – freaking out.

So, while Minerva was dealing with the surge of thoughts overloading her brain, the little devil seized the opportunity to make her move.

"Papa?"

Raina knew exactly how to play this and which parent to flash the expression no adult ever said 'no' to.

"Let's see the fireworks together."

"S-s-sure."

**07:59 PM**

"You shouldn't let a child dictate you, Rogue. You are the adult."

Rogue respected the woman, he did. He really respected Minerva. He was somewhat the same as she was – reserved, rational and very sensible. But there were days when he wished that Minerva would loosen up a little. Like today.

"But, Ojuo–"

"–We shouldn't answer nor tolerate a child's every whim and capricious. They need discipline." She continued lecturing the dragon slayer.

To Minerva, it was seizing an opportunity to call out her subordinates and correct their misconducts, well, misconduct in Minerva's eyes. To the rest who didn't know them, it was a picture of a wife lecturing her husband how to raise their child. It looked like the mistress was winning.

"If you let them take advantage of you like this, you can never demand from these wolves in sheep's clothing." She continued to a half-listening dragon slayer.

The reason for his scolding interrupted, unknowing of the position she put her father in.

"Look! They're about to start." She exclaimed, grabbing on the two adults and pulling the startled couple towards the gathering of people. The five of them grouped behind the protective railing and waited for the sparklers to light the evening sky.

"Maybe we should learn from these kids, Ojuo. There's absolutely nothing wrong about stopping to smell the roses."

Or in their case, watch some fireworks.

Minerva opened her mouth to shot back at the insolent dragon slayer, who took advantage of the brief silence to shame her. But the sound of the first cracker exploding into the dark sky stunned her briefly, transfixing her on the spot as all she could do was watch the magical shadow of the fireworks dance on the side of Rogue's face. For a moment and for some unknown reason, Minerva could hear her own heartbeat, feeling the hard thump against her chest. Something else pulled her attention and her eyes magnetically drifted to the figure carried in the dragon slayer's arms, reaching out to the spectacle in the sky as if she could catch them in her small hands. Catching herself staring and remembering it was rude, Minerva averted her eyes towards the heavens and, along with the rest of the village, watched as magic light up the darkened sky. It was beautiful but that lit-up sky paled next to the warm scene beside her, to that warmth Minerva had always been longing for – her father's love.

**9:00 PM**

"It doesn't make any sense."

Minerva wasn't too loud but might be enough to surprise the sleeping little miss, as she spat the words with much condemnation. She was confused and mad about being all confused.

"Ojuo, I think we should keep our voice down." Rogue tried not to sound too indignant as he slowly and carefully lowered the sleeping figure on the large mattress. He wondered why Lady Minerva has been staring at him since after the fireworks show, twitching her face like she was grappling an internal battle. And losing it. "We do not wish to wake up the princess." Rogue pulled the cover over Raina's small figure sprawled on the bed, her chin was sticking out. He didn't want his daughter to catch a cold.

And with every second that passed watching Rogue take care of the young lady, Minerva was getting pretty annoyed.

"Doesn't make sense at all." She obeyed the dragon slayer: less loud, but more confused.

"What does?" Kaname appeared out of nowhere but it didn't seem to bother the spatial mage whose disbelieving eyes were still trained at the scene playing before her.

"This." She said, brows meeting in the middle, nodding towards Rogue.

"I don't see anything unusual about it." Kaname was standing close to her now, which Minerva seemed to mind. She walked a few steps away from the helper, who had that a crazy smile on her face and an even crazier glint in her eyes.

"You and Mr. Rogue would have to share a room, Ms. Minerva."

"What?!"

Rogue slapped his own mouth for reacting too loud. Good thing his daughter… good thing the kid was so wiped out that she only stirred to the side and resumed snoring like a drill.

"W-w-what do you mean… share a room? An unmarried man and woman i-is not allowed to share t-t-the same bed!"

His eyes darted back and forth from the woman who shamelessly suggested – _pushed_ – the ridiculous notion and the lady who appeared to welcome it. Wait, what? Lady Minerva wasn't opposed to…

"Let's not overstay our welcome, Rogue." She said, and stopped at the door frame without looking back. "Point us to the room, Kaname."

And that little incident in the changing room flashed back Rogue's very eyes.

Rogue? Sleeping with Lady Minerva? Even his heart couldn't keep up with the idea. Then, he remembered the softness of her lips and Rogue's heart had a whole new reason to marathon.

"Let's go, Rogue."

"Y-y-yes... Ojuo."

"Are you running out of breath?"

* * *

**7:00 AM**

Rogue rubbed the backside of his shoulders. Maybe it was a bad idea refusing Lady Minerva's offer to just sleep on the bed next to her. In his defense, it wasn't right to share a mattress with a maiden and he was regretting it now. Sometimes, he wished he was just as clueless and shameless as Sting and sometimes, he wished Lady Minerva would get some clue. Did she just offer to sleep with anyone? Well, not 'sleep with' in the common context… was she okay kissing anyone, too? All this thinking about Lady Minerva was driving him off the wall. It shouldn't. As a matter of fact, he shouldn't be thinking about Lady Minerva, _at all_.

But how could he not when she boldly pulled him against her and claimed his first kiss? No! He shouldn't be thinking about the kiss. Lady Minerva had probably kissed a lot of men.

"You seem dissatisfied with me, Rogue."

Rogue shuddered at the voice. He only realized now that he was glaring at the woman sitting opposite him in the train.

"I-I'm sorry, Ojuo. I didn't mean to... stare." He wasn't going to admit he looked ready to strangle the woman thinking she had kissed a hundred men. "Please excuse me, Ojuo. I need to use the washroom." Rogue slid out from his booth, carefully lifting and moving his Exceed peacefully sleeping on his lap. Oh, how he wished he could get the same peace.

**7:10 AM**

Minerva watched him leave until he disappeared behind the door to the public toilet. She wasn't quite sure why he looked mad at her. Yesterday, she wouldn't even care. But now, every little thing Rogue did, she took notice. And every slightest thing about him bothered her.

"It doesn't make sense." The Lady barked, ladnding a fist on the leather she sat on, getting so mad not understanding herself, and waking up poor Frosch.

"Lady Minerva?" he sleepily asked, rubbing both eyes with his little fists.

"I apologize, Frosch."

She was only answered by two confused half-closing eyes and little 'hmmm' before Frosch returned to snoring again.

Minerva couldn't help chuckle. She always found Frosch cute. Actually, it wasn't only Frosch that she thought was cute and that was the notion she'd been grappling with ever since… ever since… since when?! Since when had she been thinking that no non-sense shadow dragon was cute?

Minerva refused to answer that. Then, she decided she needed to splash her face with water; that ought to clear her mind. She slid out of her train couch, careful not to wake up Frosch, and headed to the toilet. Rogue was done using it, just stepping out of the door. He shifted on the side to make room for Minerva.

"Thank you, Rogue."

Rogue nodded in response but unlike how he'd usually act around the Lady, he bravely met her forest eyes. That same feeling hit him again, one that got his mind hazy but focused at the same time, the one that pushed Rogue to dare. He stopped the sliding door with his bare hand, getting squeezed between the edge and the frame.

"Ojou…"

"What are you–mmm"

The dragon slayer pushed Minerva into the washroom, slammed the sliding door behind him and captured the rest of her words in his mouth. She wanted to push him and tell him off but her body refused to listen. All reasons abandoned, Minerva's slender fingers grasped on his coat, clutching the garment in her fists and pushing herself up against him, wanting Rogue's presence all around her.

"Ojuo…" He moaned against her lips, making Minerva cling to him desperately. "Ojuo…"

"Ojuo!"

The concern in Rogue's voice quickly dragged Minerva out of her reverie. She wasn't in the train's washroom anymore. She wasn't clinging to the dragon slayer. Minerva was now back at her own couch and stared into the eyes of a confused and worried Shadow Dragon Slayer.

"Your knuckles are turning white, Ojuo. Are you alright?"

The spatial mage looked down at her fist resting on the leather, drained of color. She released her fingers immediately, realizing that she was already hurting herself.

"Yes." She only spared Rogue a glance, masking her embarrassment with her usual indifference, then, turned away from him completely to do something more safe than fantasizing about the unwitting dragon slayer. Minerva propped her hand under her chin and watch the green pasture pass by the train window. She internally thanked the dragon slayer for not prying into the real reason because the spatial mage herself could not offer the man an answer.

Because even to Minerva, "it doesn't make sense," what she was starting to feel towards Rogue Cheney.

* * *

 **Bonus Chapter Day 6.5** :

Minerva was just looking at the request board, deciding which S-Class job to take next, a mission her and Yukino could work on together. She needed sometime to be away from the other half of Sabertooth's Twin Dragons – the shadow half. She hadn't come to terms about this strong feeling she started to harbor ever since that one job she did with Rogue.

"Minerva-sama?"

"A moment, Yukino. I haven't decided on the request yet." She answered without even looking at the owner of the voice.

"You have a visitor."

Curiosity made her pull away from staring at the request board and towards Sabertooth's resident Celestial Mage.

"Visitor?"

"Mama!"

The child appeared from behind the Celestial Mage, raced towards Minerva and threw her arms around her legs, her height only reaching the Spatial Mage's belly.

"Did you grow taller?" She asked, patting the top of Raina's head, who looked up at her, stretching her mouth into that bright smile Minerva really missed. "Only this much!" Raina answered animatedly, flatting her palm on top of her head to say, "I've only grown this much!"

Minerva chuckled. She acknowledged Kaname's presence and returned to her conversation with Raina, telling her that she had learned spatial magic too, just like Minerva's. She had that radiant smile, all the while, telling Raina she'd train her if she liked. Her unprecedented warmth towards the child confused the hell out of her guild-mates who were just standing by the side, watching the scene unfold, wrapping their little heads around the idea that some little kid – who had the same dango buns as Lady Minerva – just called Sabertooth's Ace mama.

"Oh my!" Yukino grew red realizing that Minerva-sama had been intimate with a man and conceived a child they all didn't know. Being the only one brave enough to dare, the Celestial Mage asked the question everyone had in mind. "M-m-minerva-sama… who… w-who is the f-father?"

"Raina?" Came the voice from behind the flustered Sabertooth mage.

"Papa!" She abandoned her mother and ran into the open arms of the Shadow Dragon Slayer. He picked her up and carried the little miss, asking, "How have you been, Princess?"

"Elexent! (Excellent!)" She beamed at him, her plum orbs disappearing.

And the rest of Sabertooth witnessed, for the very first time, how Rogue Cheney radiated with a brightness that rivaled Sting's White Dragon Slayer Magic. After recovering from the brief shock, Yukino and the rest of Team Sabertooth demanded some answers, throwing the family questions like…

"What the hell is this commotion about?" Sabertooth's Guild Master appeared annoyed, probably just coming out from filing all the paper works when he heard the noise. "Whose kid is that?" He asked the Dragon Slayer carrying the child.

And almost choked on his own saliva when the little kid introduced herself.

"I'm Raina and they are my parents, Papa Rogue and Mama Minerva."

"P-papa Rogue a-a-and O-ojuo's daughter?"

Sting Eucliffe turned white and not because of his White Dragon Slayer magic. A lot of question were probably running in his head, disbelieving his own ears when the kid claimed Sabertooth's Ace and his own partner as his parents.

"Yup!"

But worse of all, how come Rogue never told him he was harboring a secret child with Lady Minerva?!

"In that case, hi. I'm Uncle Sting." He extended his hand to shake Raina's little one and showed her a toothy grin that mirrored Rogue's secret child.

"Hello, Uncle Sting!"

Rogue would have a lot of time to explain later and he better start with how, when and where did that affair started and how come he never told him. For now, he'd like to welcome this little princess into his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh! I only have one last day left. Hehe.


End file.
